SFPD officer shoots himself in Cambodian jail

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

October 31, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A 25-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department who was on vacation overseas is dead after an apparent suicide in a Cambodian jail cell, a police spokesman confirmed today.

According to wire reports, Officer Donald Ramirez, 50, had been arrested Thursday in Phnom Penh for alleged sexual abuse related to a 14-year old girl.

Ramirez allegedly shot himself twice in the mouth.

Jeff Daigle, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, said he could not comment on the case without consent from authorities in Washington D.C.

"We can't release information to the American press without prior approval from the State Department," Daigle said.

SFPD Police Sgt. Neville Gittens said the department would work with federal authorities during any investigation of the incident.

Ramirez, an officer in the traffic bureau of the Police Department, was on discretionary time off, Gittens said.

Luke Thomas contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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